Realty Check

By Maggie Sieger | February 2009 Got a listing that needs a new look? Here are some inexpensive ways to make it shine. Chances are the decor in that listing you just took is a lot like most people’s wardrobes: There are a few items that went out of style a decade ago, but they’re [...]

To select the right color for each room of your listing, design experts recommend applying the following strategies. 1. Coordinate with the room’s use. Certain colors lend themselves to certain activities. For example, studies show that kitchen and dining areas painted in “food colors”—such as celery green or red—increase appetite, whereas blue acts as an [...]

Sunday, February 22, 2009  |  by  Maxine Million Strategies to Keep Your Investment Building societies booked $14.5 billion in new mortgages as at September 2008. Compared to 2007, Bank of Jamaica statistics show that this is a 44 per cent jump from the number of new mortgages booked year over year. No question about it [...]

1. First, make sure your children know that they can ask you any question and you’ll give them an honest answer. Most kids want to know about their new school, neighborhood, sport teams and city. But they may also have questions you hadn’t thought of, such as, “how hard is it to make friends?”; “Are [...]

Selling your home can be a nerve racking, exhausting experience.  Last minute calls, inconvenient showings, price adjustments, and the uncertainties of being stuck with a house that doesn’t sell for months on end can all take their toll.  If you are not completely prepared you could end up losing thousands of dollars in profit! The [...]

•    Garage – Keep the garage doors closed during showings.  Make sure that all items are neatly placed and look organized.  Stow away items as best as possible.  Again this will show that you take care of you home.  Check the floor and remove grease spots.  Sweep the floor thoroughly and remove cobwebs from walls [...]

1.    Be Available – Your house should always be available for showings, even though sometimes it may be inconvenient for you. 2.    Leave the House – Prospective buyer will feel like intruders when you are at home when they visit and will have a hard time visualizing themselves in it. 3.    Lighting – Turn on [...]

A short guide for the Internet consumer When you’re on the Internet, you don’t have time to waste on endless searches for useful real estate information.  You want to get things done quickly and without hassle.  So chances are you’d like a real estate agent who •    Answers e-mail promptly and professionally. •    Respects your [...]

There are several different types of listing contracts, but very few of them are used. The “Exclusive Right to Sell” is the most common, but there is the “open listing,” the “exclusive agency listing. Open Listing The “open listing” is mostly used by people trying to sell their home by themselves but who are also [...]

1. They treat real estate like a real job. They’re always in control of their job. And they’re confident enough to say no to clients they think are too demanding or unreasonable. 2. They’re masterful presenters. They have a planned listing presentation they could give in a howling windstorm without being distracted. They know what [...]